Entering LinkLaunch Commands
LinkLaunch is a Windows command line utility. The remote devices to be mapped
and the application to be launched are passed to LinkLaunch as parameters on
the command line. If Program Manager is your shell, enter LL and the appropriate
parameters in the Program Item Properties dialog. (Commands can also be stored
in an .LLF file.)
In general, the LinkLaunch command line consists of one or more link
expressions separated by spaces, as shown below:
LL LinkExpression1 [LinkExpression2]...
The syntax for a link expression is:
[options][x:=]path
where
options are command line switches. You can enter:
-p to create a persistent drive mapping
-d to delete a drive mapping
or
-s to add a drive mapping to the DOS search path
x represents a drive letter (A-Z) to be used when a drive mapping is created
path is the path to a directory or file. It can be a local path containing a drive
letter, or a path specified in UNC format (Universal Naming Convention),
referring to a directory or file on the network. For example:
\\{remote}\apps\excel
Assuming the simplist case with no options, LinkLaunch processes a link
expression by mapping a drive if a UNC name is given. Then, LinkLaunch changes
directories if the path points to a directory, or executes a file if the path points
to a file. Note that the [x:=] part of the expression should only be included
if the path is in UNC format.
When multiple link expressions are entered on a command line, their relative
position is important. Only the last expression can refer to a file, the file
to be launched. The other link expressions must refer to directories. The next
to last link expression sets the working directory for the application. By
accepting both UNC and local paths, LinkLaunch can be used with remote data and
local applications or visa versa.
If you want to dynamically map to an application directory and also make it
the working directory, use two link expressions as follows:
LL \\{remote}\apps\access msaccess.exe
When more than two link expressions are used, the additional expressions are
used to map other data directories and/or to set the current directory on other
drive letters.
When the application is shut down, LinkLaunch deletes the temporary drive
mappings created for all link expressions on the command line.
If an executable in a link expression requires parameters, the executable and
the parameters must be surrounded by double quotes. Otherwise, LinkLaunch
interprets spaces as delimiters for link expressions. If parameters are to include
paths on dynamically mapped drives, and an explicit drive letter is not used,
a numeral representing the dynamic drive mapping index can be used in place of
the drive letter. For example:
LL {link expression 1} ... {link expression4} "excel
2:\accounts\invoices.xls"
NOTE: LinkLaunch supports file type associations.
See also:
LinkLaunch Wizard
Storing Commands in an .LLF file
Static Drive Mappings ( the -p option )
Deleting Static Drive Mappings (the -d option)
Search Drives
Determining Which Drive Letter Is Used
Mapping to an Artificial Root